It's Election Day today, with seven polling locations in Cascade County open at 7 a.m. and closing at 8 p.m.

At the top of the ticket, residents have the choice between Republican Steve Daines, Democrat Amanda Curtis and Libertarian Roger Roots in the race for U.S. Senate. The candidates hope to replace longtime Sen. Max Baucus, now the ambassador to China.

And Democrat John Lewis and Republican Ryan Zinke, along with Libertarian Mike Fellows, are battling to fill Daines' seat in Congress.

Cascade County residents also will help decide two races for state Supreme Court, and there are two ballot questions, one on ending late voter registration the Friday before the election and another on changing the name of the office of state auditor to commissioner of securities and insurance.

In local races, candidates are squaring off for justice of the peace, four state Senate seats, 10 state House positions and Cascade County commissioner and treasurer.

Polls open at 7 a.m. at Montana ExpoPark and close at 8 p.m.

Residents already have been voting for weeks.

Rina Fontana Moore, clerk and recorder for Cascade County, said 18,232 of the 23,538 absentee ballots the Elections Office issued had been returned as of 5 p.m. Monday.

For a midterm election, that's a good return, and more ballots will be dropped off today, she said.

Fontana Moore is predicting another 2,000 to 4,000 people will vote in person at Exhibition Hall in Great Falls and the six rural polling places.

Elections office employees help residents register to vote Monday at Exhibition Hall at Montana ExpoPark. Polls open Tuesday at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
(Photo11:
Karl Puckett
)

The county has about 51,000 registered voters.

Darrell Tucker, who was voting early at Montana ExpoPark in Great Falls on Monday, called the election "very important."

"It will decide whether we have a little change in government," Tucker said.

"We want to see Social Security go up a little bit," added his wife, Mary Tucker.

Where to vote: Residents of Great Falls vote at Exhibition Hall at Montana ExpoPark, also called the Fairgrounds, at 400 3rd St. N.W. Other polling places are Belt Senior Center, Centerville School, Wedsworth Hall in Cascade, Ulm School, Sun River Senior Center in Fort Shaw and Vaughn Fire Department.

When to vote: Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Can I still register on Election Day?: Yes. Bring some form of identification that will help prove you've been a resident for at least 30 days. Examples are a driver's license, utility bill with a current address, voter confirmation card or title for a vehicle.

Where can I drop of a ballot?: Drop boxes are at the regular Elections Office, 325 2nd Ave. N., and Montana ExpoPark. There also is a drive-through drop off on the north side of Exhibition Hall at ExpoPark.

Questions: Call the Elections Office at 406-454-6803, or Clerk and Recorder Rina Fontana Moore at 406-788-1720.